By Silvan Spicer

Why do I need to split my paper into paragraphs?

Paragraphs help readers visualize the order and structure of your argument. If your paper is one long paragraph, it can be hard to tell where one idea stops and another starts. Separating your ideas into distinct paragraphs will improve the organization, flow, and readability of your papers.

How should I format my paragraphs?

  • The first line of each paragraph should be indented.
  • Each paragraph starts on a new line.
  • You should not add any extra spaces after each paragraph.
  • Always double check your assignment to see if your professor wants you to format paragraphs differently, since these standards might vary depending on your discipline and/or the purpose and audience of your assignment.
  • Note: In many online sources you may see formatting that is optimized for digital and mobile reading. This might include spaces between paragraphs, no indents, etc. However, this is currently not the best practice for academic essays.

Correct Paragraph Format: 

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. 

Donec massa sapien faucibus et. Tortor aliquam nulla facilisi cras fermentum odio eu feugiat pretium. Lectus nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis tellus. 

Incorrect Paragraph Format: 

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Lacus vestibulum sed arcu non.

Donec massa sapien faucibus et. Tortor aliquam nulla facilisi cras fermentum odio eu feugiat pretium. Lectus nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis tellus.

In the correct example, each new paragraph is indented, and there are no extra spaces at the end of each paragraph.

What are the essential parts of a body paragraph?

A paragraph should have the same structure as your paper does, just on a smaller scale. This includes a beginning, middle, and end. These three parts can be summarized a bit jokingly as “Say what you’re going to say,” “Say it,” and “Say what you just said.” In other words:

  • The beginning includes a transition from your previous paragraph and your topic sentence. The topic sentence needs to clearly tie back to the thesis, or overall argument, of your paper as a whole. It will show how this one piece of the puzzle fits into your larger argument.
  • The middle includes the “meat” of your paragraph, including details that support your argument using explanations, evidence, analysis, etc.
  • The end includes a concluding statement that sums up the main purpose or idea of the paragraph.

How are body paragraphs different from introduction and conclusion paragraphs?

Body paragraphs contain the “meat” of your paper – a.k.a. all of the evidence, details, and logic you will use to support your main argument. Introduction and conclusion paragraphs are different because they deal with the overall argument of your paper as a whole, while body paragraphs focus on individual topics, points, or subtopics that tie into your overall argument.

What should a body paragraph do?

Each body paragraph should have one main idea. 

It might be helpful to think of each body paragraph having its own “purpose,” based on your argument and the points you are trying to make. Here are some of the possible things your body paragraphs can do (This is not an exhaustive list!):

  • Narrate: Tell a story about something. You might narrate the story of how a certain law or policy affected someone’s life.
  • Describe: Give details about something. You might describe how a work of art looks in person.
  • Explain: Tell your audience what something means or how it functions. You might explain the process of cell division.
  • Illustrate: Give examples to support an idea. You might illustrate the impacts of climate change with examples of different climate events.
  • Define: Give a definition of a concept. You might define the word “technology” so your audience understands how you are using it in your paper.
  • Analyze: Break down a topic into smaller parts to show how it works. You might analyze affordable housing laws/policies in New York City.
  • Synthesize: Bring together different ideas/topics to make your own argument based on their interactions and connections. You might synthesize data from multiple reports on mental health to make a point about current rates of mental illness.

Compare/contrast: Show how one thing is similar/different to another thing. You might compare and contrast the way that different news sites talk about the same current event.

How long should my paragraphs be?

There is no “required” length for your paragraphs, but there are some ways to tell if your paragraphs may be too short or too long.

Your paragraph might be too short if…

  • It does not have an adequate beginning, middle, and end
  • It does not have at least one sentence serving as a topic sentence, one sentence serving as a concluding sentence, and at least a couple of sentences that explore the ideas in your paragraph
  • When you reread it, it doesn’t seem like it is making a full or complete point

Your paragraph might be too long if…

  • It has multiple main ideas
  • It talks about more than one central topic
  • It goes on for several pages
  • When you reread it, you can’t figure out what the paragraph is about because there are several things it seems to be about

How can I revise/edit my paragraphs?

One good way to revise your paragraph is to do a reverse outline. When you do this, you read over your paragraph and try to see if it is clear what the paragraph’s main idea is and how that main idea supports your thesis/overall argument. A reverse outline helps you analyze the structure of your paper after you’ve written it, rather than before.

If your paragraph seems to have multiple main ideas, you might want to split it into multiple paragraphs – one for each main idea.

If your paragraph seems like it doesn’t make a full or complete point, that might be a sign to either get rid of it (if it doesn’t tie back to your thesis), or add more to it (if it does tie back to your thesis).

What are some other resources on constructing good paragraphs?